The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-07-03
ON CHURCH AND STATE.
Some Solid Shot in the Evening"
Camp.
To the EDITOR of TBE HERALD.

Permit me to say few words in re
ference to church and State. History
unfolds the question of church and
State in a very different light than the
one maintained by the opponents of the
Church OF Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. Church and State as understood
by it's defenders, lies in the union of
poIitica and ecclesiastical authority and
the right to perpetuate the authority of
the church by divine right vested in
the sovereign, constituting thereby the
right to create and maintain the au
thority of the church in union with the
political government. This position is
altogether different from the one held
by the Mormons.
They recognize the Constitutional poll.
teal government as being ordained of
God, as a safeguard against any en-
croacbment upon the conscience of the
individual I, " is held amenable to God
alone Tor LIS religious convictions. The
question represented to US at this time,
as to whether we can maintain. faith
fully, our allegiance to the Constitution
ana our allegiance TO the church to
which we belong. [ maintain that we
can; the church teaches that what
ever is true, bears the stamp
of heaven, whether in religion or
politics, and in her endeavor
TO elevate mankind. she holds that no
man can be disciple of Christ that does
not recognize the supremacy of truth in
politics as in religion. and that the duty
of its members lies IN their steady and
n nc nfo of
the Constitution. | maintain that the
church has right to teach men peace
and good will, and to work by every
lawful means, politically and religiously,
to that end. Do the defamers of our
good name want our church to be good
and true TO t spiritual life of its men,
bers and remain Indifferent as to their
political purity? Do they want the
church to be Sunday worshipers and to
spend the remaining six days of the
week amidst political corruption and
join in the orgies of adventures and the
debasing customs of corrupt men?
l have been asked if the people can
form a constitution for Utah that will
be in conformity with the principles of
Republican form of government and
not infringe upon their consciences2
They can. if have understood the spirit
and teachings of the church. The bat
tie, to-day, is not against Constitutional
government, but against corruption in
politics, as well as in religion.
II there be one fault, IF fault it can
be called" with the Mormons, it will be
found in their tenacity for, and their
maintenance of law and order, which
law and order must derive its strength
from God and truth in all things. Take
from us the sanctity of God S right as the
sovereign ruler of the universe. and fare
well to all governments. Whilst our
governmental does not claim ecclesiastical
power it does claim to be controlled
by the genius of Christianity.
Anarchy and miSrule are not to be
found alone with such men as Most, but
also with those who make politics and
MISREPRESENTATION stepping stones TO
place and power. The Mormons demand
purity III politics as in religion. The
prevailing idea among the mass of the
people of this Territory has been, and
is, good men and true in politics, and in
every office under the government, and
for this we have been berated and
counted unfit to enjoy the rights of
American citizens.
The Mormons are taught to love the
government for its intrinsic value and
not what it is worth in dollars and
cents, and we are beginning 10 hope for
the generous feeling that are manifest
toward us as American citizens. We
have not word to say in reference to
the views of the people of the land
toward our religious belief, but we do
claim our right to the common brother
hood of Americans. If our religion be
Objectionable our love and attachment
to the Constitution and our labor to
maintain and perpetuate the union of
the American States, should entitle us to
protection from the scrubs and COM
mon distuTbers OF the peace that have
been dumped into our midst.
We know, as people, that the perse-
cutions that have been heaped upon us
have not been the work of the constitu-
tiOnal authorities of the land, but that
the public hate of the people of the
United States has originated in the
secret meeting of men who have been
under the influence of the Intoxicating
cup, and Bacchanalian revelry. Plots
and schemes against this people have
not originated with men that love the
government and the purity of American
institutions, but rather with men who
are below the MormOns in moral and
political purity, and for this they hate
US.
l teach my children to uphold and
defend the Constitution, and the GOV
eminent that derives its power from it {:
to uphold ali good men wherever they
may be found, but to withhold their
utilization from corruptionists and dead
beats who cry themselves hoarse in
shouting loyalty to government they
repudiate, by imbecIlity in politics and
deadly hate of religion and purity of
character. IIIoN.